out at frida 602

July 28, 2016

File this one under I’ve been wanting to go for a year and yet just made my first visit. (I pray the same won’t be said for Pleasantry…)

But it is true. Frida 602 has been on my radar ever since interviewing Paul Weckman of Otto’s for City Beat a good year and a half ago. I have no real excuse for why it has taken so long to make a visit, but I finally went for lunch last week and now it is a taco destination of choice for me.

Now what kind of Mexican meal eater would I be if I didn’t start with guacamole? It was as essential of an order as a glass of water, and I munched away mindlessly and satisfyingly. And while everything about it was effortlessly great, I really liked the tortilla chips. These were dense and crispy and not the kind that would do a poor job shouldering a heavy dip of guac. I admire that in a good chip.

For my lunch, I settled on three different tacos because I felt ordering one of each (for a total of eight) seemed aggressive.

My first choice (and first consumed) was the Gobernator (seared chili shrimp, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and aioli). This one completely crushed it for me because a) it was shrimp, and b) the inclusion of the bacon was a surprisingly great move. This one was finished off in a matter of minutes.

My second was the roasted chicken, with citrus slaw, black bean mango salsa, and cotija cheese. I never order chicken tacos because they never sound like that big of a deal, but I was lured by the citrus and mango for some reason. (Kenny is probably rolling his eyes because he knows I typically hate any sort of citrus/chicken combo, so to claim I was intrigued by it sounds suspect.) However, I was into this one and it hit the spot after the creamy richness of the shrimp taco. I’d definitely recommend to those chicken-taco-always orderers.

The last was one I just couldn’t seem to pass up – a brussel sprout and peanut salsa taco. As a lover of brussels (and general veggie taco fan) this seemed odd and quirky and I had to try it. It was all of the above, plus delicious. I’ve never really seen one like this around town, so for that, I’ve got to give it props (plus it was a tasty performance to boot).

My dates for the day were Harry and Annie, and Annie ordered the Oaxacan chicken sandwich. This was a mezcal and lime glazed chicken, served with avocado, queso fresco, and chipotle mayo, on a sourdough bun. She reports (and I quote) “it wasn’t what I was expecting at all from a chicken sandwich that comes with melted cheese and avocado. I was expecting something rich and heavy, but with the lime juice that was added, it made it sweet and tangy. I didn’t know if I liked it at first because it took me off guard, but I ended up finding myself craving my leftovers once I got home!” You heard it here first.

Frida 602 has a ton of spunk – there are bold colors everywhere, mismatched salt and pepper shakers, bright pink napkins, and a clear commitment to tasty Mexican street-style food. It is also one of the only (if not only) mezcal bars in town, so if you are a tequila aficionado, you must make the visit if you haven’t already. Tequila cocktails are ones that I always think sound so good, even though I really can’t handle tequila. And while I didn’t take my opportunity this time to try any, I am thinking that a night out to dabble in mezcal should be the next thing on my list, and you know I’ll be bellying up at Frida’s.

about

OUT + OUTFIT is a Cincinnati-based social and fashion blog, focusing on the trendy happenings in the Queen City. Features include personal style, the local social scene, and every adventure in between.

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